2 Months Prior…

"Fire Lord Zuko," came a light voice. Zuko glanced up from the scrolls before him. His eyes were tired and took a moment to adjust. However, as Suki came into view, the Fire Lord forced himself to appear awake and strong.

"What is it?"

"My Lord," Suki said bowing. "Your family is here, as is the entertainment."

"Very good," Zuko replied lamely. He stood and fought back a yawn. "I'll meet them in a moment."

Suki bowed again and left, looking worried for her ruler's health.

Zuko sighed when she was out of earshot and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. His eyes closed for a moment and nearly didn't open again. His lungs let out another huff; he needed to keep awake. The Fire Nation wasn't going to rule itself. And until worries over another war died down, he wouldn't find much time to rest. Zuko straightened up and smoothed out his regal robes. He checked his appearance with his hands; his face felt stretched out and exhausted, his hair was slipping out of his crown, and his neck felt stiff and swollen. He, at the very least, readjusted his hair before heading to meet with his mother.

"You know what to do," muttered an attendant. Yang gave him a low hiss.

"I know. Don't worry. I won't fail." Yang straightened her back, extending one leg in front of her. As she gave a deep breath, she put her hands around the limb and pulled her ankle above her head. Her muscles complied easily, making no effort to collapse or rip as they did a few months before. Yang smiled and repeated the movement with her other leg.

"Show's ready to go, sister," the same attendant came. The short, green-robed man handed her a small blade. "Remember: Ying dies if you don't get this right."

It was truly a stroke of fortune for the Blue Dragon, to have this opportunity. The Fire Lord rarely saw visitors to begin with. And to have a private audience with him, having only a handful of witnesses, and a clear escape route... an assassin's luxury. Yang wasn't sure how to feel about the lucky break, but she still worked to straighten her posture and look her handler in the eye.

"I remember, Lao," Yang spat as she snatched up the projectile. She gave it a quick glance-over, then slipped it into a pouch beneath her sleeve. "Stop nagging me. I'll get it right the first time."

As Yang stepped into the room, she didn't marvel at the elegant red cloth hanging against the wall. She didn't admire the high arched ceiling or the smooth, freshly-cleaned floors. She instead stared forward at the Fire Lord himself.

Spirits, help me. He's only a child.

Actually, he was Yang's age, but the young adult's mind was trying to dissillusion itself in any way it could.

Lao and another attendant made rude noises beneath their breaths, urging Yang to move forward. She did so in a careful, practiced manner. Her bare feet thudded lightly against the wooden floorboards. Her dancer's dress, while the bottom of it didn't reach past her thighs, dragged against the floor via her elongated sleeves. The dance she was about to perform was unique and required a heavy fabric with odd proportions to execute the movements. Yang didn't mind their weight anymore. In fact, despite the life she'd had to adapt for it, dancing had become her safe escape.

When Yang reached her designated spot, she bowed to the Fire Lord and noted the red-armored guards around him as well as a Kyoshi Warrior. She also noticed several other faces that she did not recognize; a middle-aged couple and a very young girl kneeled near the ruler.

Witnesses, Yang thought in dismay. She rose again and looked at her target. The scar on his left eye was almost haunting and gave him a devilish appearance. Good. That will make him easier to…. Yang didn't finish the thought, instead vaguely listening to Lao announce her presence. When he was finished, the Fire Lord met Yang's eyes.

"It is an honor to have you here," he said politely. "My family tells me you're quite popular in the Earth Kingdom." He gestured to the people seated beside him. Yang tried not to think much of them.

"I'm honored to have been invited, my lord." Yang bowed once more, then placed one foot in front of the other. She waited for Lao to begin playing his flute. Once the familiar music floated to her from across the room, she began her dance.

The Fire Lotus dance consisted of low, elongated leg movements that mirrored her arms. For each sway of her wrist, her ankle made a similar gesture. The beauty of Yang's dance, however, came from the occasional firebending accent that flowed with her movements. The guards and Kyoshi Warrior all flinched each time a trail of fire followed Yang's feet, but it simply made her smile. Deep down, she loved the attention. It made her feel appreciated and special, though she knew that she shouldn't feel that way after all that had happened.

The Fire Lord and his family watched with awe as the girl moved. Her long black hair was tied up with elegant flowers and jewels, which clicked and shimmered each time she bowed. Her skin had been further paled with facepaint and shadowed with dark makeup. Each step made the air feel warmer and more energetic; Yang could see excitement growing in her audience's eyes. However, as she continued through her routine, her heart became more and more distraught. She'd never killed anyone before this.

Finally, the last few steps of the song approached. Yang completed each movement with flawless effort as she concentrated on the heavy blade in her sleeve. She looked into the eyes of the Fire Lord as she spun to face the crowd. She looked for murderous intent. For hatred. For evil.

But all she could find in his amber gaze was exhaustion and a strange, familiar humility.

On the third to last step, Yang finally felt her body hesitating. This man was not darkness incarnate. When she slayed him, she would be slaying a good and innocent man; that much she could tell from his tired face — and from the way he held the hand of the older woman next to him. Now focusing on her features, Yang could tell that the person beside the ruler was none other than his mother. The cruelty of the man's death weighed heavier on the dancer than the blade hiding in her sleeve.

He would die. It would be her fault. Ying would live, but it would be at this man's — and his family's — unwarranted sacrifice.

Yang saw the guard beside Fire Lord Zuko twitch his brow. It was a small gesture, but she'd been trained to notice the smallest of facial oddities. A shadow crossed the man's face as he silently drew a jagged dagger from his hip. He gave the crowned Fire Lord a greedy, bloodthirsty glare. Yang recognized the guard at that moment; she'd seen him among The Order of the White Lotus members during a meeting with her clan. His scarred features and wicked grin made every drop of blood inside Yang boil and burn; the things he'd done to innocent people...and would now do to the innocent ruler of the Fire Nation.

Yang drew in a breath and, upon her dance's last step, she threw out her blade. As the guard aimed to plunge his blade in the Fire Lord's back, Yang's projectile dug into the crook of the assassin's neck.

Panic ensued. Yang didn't fully process what was happening, as the shock of her sudden disobedience put only her sister in the forefront of her mind. After a quick gasp, Yang tried to focus elsewhere. She came to realize quickly other guards beside the Fire Lord were also false. One saw what she had done to his comrade and leapt the dancer's way. He stomped into the ground and threw out both hands. A sharp rock from beneath the floorboards responded and charged Yang. She nearly dodged out of its way, but wasn't quite fast enough. The rock sliced at her hip. Blood spewed over her dress and the floor beneath her. Yang cried out, but responded with a series of quick punches towards the attacker. Fire spheres obeyed her whim and shot into the assailant's face. The faux guard cried out wildly, gripping his melting features. After a few moment, he collapsed.

Yang looked up to Fire Lord Zuko just in time to see him and the Kyoshi Warrior expertly fight off the other guards around them. The Fire Lord captivated Yang a bit; his art of firebending was strong, but soft. Swift, but sure. Fire wreathed him like a twisted saint, giving him the aura of a true Fire Nation ruler. He was everything that the Blue Dragon Assassins had promised he'd be. It was no wonder she'd been ordered not to challenge the Fire Lord head-on.

As the last guard fell, Fire Lord Zuko attended first to his family. Yang was relieved to see the couple and the child were scared, but unharmed. Fire Lord Zuko then looked to Yang. His eyes widened and he ran to her.

"Are you okay?!" He asked. Yang glanced down at her wound. Her dress was soaked in crimson liquid — soaked to the point that streams of blood leaked down the side of her legs. Her adrenaline drained swiftly, as did the blood in her face. She felt her body collapse in on itself as pain attacked her body and mind. The Fire Lord caught her in his strong arms. She clung to the man as a lifeline, trying not to drown in her own agony. Yang let out a stiff cry and begged for the pain to stop. There was a hiss as her long nails dug into the rescuer's cloth and reached the muscles. She tried to apologize or something of the sort, but instead found the remainder of her free mind shutting down.